An Instrument of Your Peace

“And the Angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.’”Luke 2:10

It is Christmas, and we again celebrate the birth of Jesus. According to the Bible, these words were spoken by an angel on the night of Jesus’s birth.   In fact, the word’s “do not be afraid” are repeated throughout the Bible as they are in many spiritual texts, as a gateway to experiencing the presence of God.

As I reflect on the world, fear is indeed one of the primary walls which prevent us from creating, and experiencing heaven on earth.

Fear can be pervasive. Fear of the future. Fear of the past. Fear of the other.

Fear causes us to react with our heads, not our hearts. We isolate ourselves. We lash out. We enact childish games of revenge, which typically only ever exacerbates the problem at hand. We become greedy and hoard wealth and resources, just in case.

At its core, fear is a primeval instinct to protect our survival. For most of us, however, thankfully our physical survival is very rarely on the line. Instead, it is the survival of some perception of ourselves, our ego, a pride an image which exists only in our minds. Fear also causes us to act irrationally about something that hasn’t even happened, but somehow we convince ourselves that it “might”.

Imagine, just for a moment, that you are no longer afraid. Of anything. Not other people, not of what might happen in the future. Not afraid of getting ill, or how your illness might progress, and not even afraid of death. Really listen to, and trust in, your image of God  as He/She urges you- “do not be afraid”.

One of the best antidotes to fear is to simply live in the present moment. The basis of most fear is that something “is going to happen”. When we live in the present, we experience what is actually happening. What is happening in the moment is usually OK. Actually more than OK if we take an objective look around us and think about each blessing and each opportunity presented to us to share our love.

When we remove the barrier of fear, love can take its place. We stop projecting our fear onto the world and we see the world through lenses of beauty, curiosity, compassion and love.

This holiday season, do not be afraid. Be present to the blessings around you. Be compassionate with those who are very different. Allow peace and joy to fill your heart, and, through you, the hearts of others.

Merry Christmas, and blessings of peace, joy and love to all of you.

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:18-19

As I consider on the many symbolisms surrounding the Christian Easter celebration, this morning I am  reflecting on the cycle of life, death, and resurrection.

The beauty of this symbolism is that it stands as wonderful path for us- not only over our lives, but in each and every moment of our lives. You see, when we are willing to begin to let go of the life we think we are supposed to lead- and embrace that life we are meant to lead- we are initiating a cycle of death and resurrection in this very moment.

This can be so painful.  Sometimes we have clung very tightly to some version of ourselves.  and even the thought of that not being the Truth, that all the work we put into it, all the exertion and energy to uphold that version of ourselves may actually have been some great diversion creates great angst.  Yet perhaps that great diversion was not a diversion at all, but a necessary path for us to understand- to see the distinctions between that which we are, and that which we aren’t.

When we are willing initiate this cycle- to let go of that part of ourselves which was not really true to who we are- a part of us begins to die.  The pain and suffering we can endure through this process is real, yet through this suffering there is rebirth- a resurrection- when we have the courage and trust to surrender to  that which is true and authentic fill and guide us.

May we all be willing to let a part of us die, so that we may experience the truth of who we are meant to be, and through that, just of glimmer of the everlasting life which can be experienced in every moment.

Happy Easter everyone

As I usually do this time of year, I reflect on the teachings of Jesus as we celebrate his birth.

While Jesus sometimes spoke in parables to help those around him understand his teachings in a context they could grasp, very often he pretty much cut to the chase.

From John:   “A new command I give you: Love one another”

From Matthew:   “Love your neighbors”

And the real clincher, from Matthew and Luke:   “Love your enemies”.

Love one another.

Pretty simple.

Not: “Love some people”  or “Love those you think deserve it” or “Love only those who love you” or “Love those who agree with you”

Love one another.  Everyone.   No exceptions.

Simple concept, yet we really struggle with this one.

We struggle because we believe that love is a scarce commodity- to be parceled out selectively.

As if we could actually run out.

We struggle because we think love is something that must be earned for ourselves or by others; that it is conditional.

As if we were the best judge of who is or isn’t worthy.

Or, we can’t seem to access the loving inside of us because it is covered and smothered by self judgment and judgment of others.

Our hearts are closed, as we have not yet forgiven.

Perhaps the biggest misconception is that Love is ours to give in the first place.  It is more accurate to see ourselves as conduits; each of us created as a channel for the Love of God to break through to the created world, and each in our own most beautifully unique way to be an expression of that Love.

Often in our lives, we experience great transitions.  Our children grow up and leave home.  We loose our jobs, or experience an unplanned change in career direction.  Our physical bodies change, and we can no longer do the things we used to do.

Often, these times of change can bring great anguish.  This suffering happens when we closely identify with some role or perception of ourselves.  We can not separate “who we are” from “what we do”.

As my children are in or heading to college, I think about this a lot these days.

For example, if my self-identify is as a father caring for my children, when my children leave I will experience great suffering.  When my identity or my idea of fatherhood is wrapped up in the idea of caring for children, the loss of that role is, in essence, a loss of self; and the suffering is a fear of, or resistance to that loss.  Of course it is sad when our children finally grow up and leave home; we love our children and love to spend time with them.  However, when they move on, it is a natural progression of life.  I am still the person I was, not really changed at all, my role is just changing, as it always does.  Will I worry? Yes.  Will I miss them?  Yes, of course.  Will I spend my days in anguish over not having children to care for?  Hopefully not.  Instead I will smile with pride.

When our self-identity is closely connected with a social circle and/or role, anything that changes those aspects of our lives will immediately be a threat to our identity, and therefore unleash great fear and anguish.

Another example is the loss of a job, or the loss of social standing or popularity, or having, then loosing, great physical prowess.  There is so much energy expended to maintain these types of standings, and so much suffering when they are lost, sometimes to the point of suicide.

Really, when these things happen, the essence of who we are has not changed, we are just so attached to some artificial image of ourselves that we can’t bear to perceive ourselves as “not” that.  Of course, we never really “were” that, it was all just our own fabrication.

When our self-identity transcends outer appearances, self-prescribed roles, or the social circles or standings with which we associate ourselves, we become free.  We are no longer bound to roles or perceptions which can limit us, cause us to create great energy to maintain, and create great upset in us when they are lost; instead, we may freely experience and, when necessary, transition through and experience anew many different phases of our lives.  This way, we welcome each new transition with curiosity, with courage, as we open ourselves to experiencing a new dimension of this wonderful life.

I have recently been taken to task by a famous blogger for suggesting that his use of the promise of “getting rich” to entice people to spend more money on a self-help program is not consistent with the teachings he represents (“Spirituality and Love”).

In service to my own clarity in learning, I thought I would write about this- very briefly:

The reason our current concept of money gets in the way of our path to God is not a question of whether it is “good” or “bad” to make a lot of money.  The issue is not in the making/not making of money- the issue is in the attachment to the making or not making of money- or any other form with which we might identify ourselves (fame/notoriety is another one which entices us as well).

We hear and read about spiritual seekers who renunciate the material world, and we call this “old fashioned”; however, we misinterpret the meaning and purpose of the renunciation.  For the mystics, especially, they realized in their union with Spirit that any of the stuff to which we attach ourselves in the material world not only were irrelevant (because of the infinite Love they discovered within themselves), but in many ways were actually a barrier- another form/false idol to be “worshipped”, and through this create more separation from God.

God doesn’t care if we are rich or poor, famous or unknown- from God’s perspective He/She only cares that we KNOW Him/Her (in the Gnostic sense of the word), and through this we experience the “Peace that passeth all understanding”, and from here compelled to serve those around us, as a channel of lovingkindness, an open conduit for Spirit.

It’s interesting that when we really research those humans who have fully experienced the Peace of God, we find that they went to live lives of loving humility and service, without many possessions- not because they were “supposed to”, but because they transcended any attachment to it.  Some got famous just because of the Consciousness they emanated, or their inspired writings, and every sacred text , from the Bible, to the Gnostic texts, the Bhagavad Gita, the Tao,- all emphasize this exact point- detachment from form is a key to the Path.  This isn’t “old” in the sense of being outdated, it is “old” in the sense of wisdom through the ages.

So again, I am not disagreeing that anyone on the “Spiritual Path” should be free and open to enjoying wealth and/or fame, or any other physical manifestation.  However, if we really want to guide people to a closer communion with God, it is important that we make that the goal.  Make a lot of money- great- but DO NOT make it the incentive, the bottom line- because then we do chase a false idol, we have created a reference point external to ourselves which is determining worth, as opposed to the light within.

The only real bottom line, as always, is to continue to grow in our communion with Spirit, and through this, Love.   That’s the real money.

I am in school with a very nice gentleman- as a young man he wanted to be a famous Rock Star- but after drugs and an overdose, he came to religion.  Now, it is clear he wants to achieve notoriety as a Pastor- he is very charming and eloquent, and I am sure he will.  On the one hand, if he is to achieve fame as something, perhaps better to be a preacher; but from Spirit’s perspective- there is no difference between the Rock Star and the Famous Preacher- in both cases his attachment to fame keeps him separated from the Essence of God, where his true “salvation” lies.

I have been struggling with what to write about this Christmas; I have lately had more questions than answers;  can I possibly offer any words of wisdom or advice?

As I often do at times like this, I went on a long trail run this morning.  Trail runs are a meditation for me; I set an intention to be both empty and open, and allow myself to be enveloped by the beauty of the forest while I listen and look for what Spirit wants to tell or show me.

Today, as is usually the case when I am open enough, through Grace, I received my message.

The trails I run are also used by riders on horseback.  It was sunrise, with no riders in sight, but the many hoof prints showed the way many horses had traveled.  My run took me up a lone, barren hill, where the trail was a little dusty.  I looked down, as I frequently do- and there, on the path, perfectly drawn in the soil, was a small peace symbol.

Before I even has a chance to question, I saw another, and another, and another.  Sure enough, one right after the other.  Peace symbols; perfectly drawn on the path in front of me.

It dawned on me, that these “peace symbols” were hoof prints; for some reason, the configuration of this particular horse’s hooves left the perfect mark of a peace symbol in the soil.  There it was- a path of peace laid before me.  A path to follow; step by step, up a long, solitary hill, on the top of which the sun shone.

Today we celebrate the birth of Jesus.  Two thousand year ago, through his life and ministry, he did his best to demonstrate the path to peace for mankind.  Because Jesus had come to live in the Light of God, to embody the Christ, he could clearly see what no one else could; that if we could each discover what he already experienced, mankind could experience the Love of God- Abba- and through this, with each other experience Heaven on Earth.

The Christ lives in each of us. Put what label on it you will; the Light of God, the Buddha, it doesn’t really matter; but Jesus knew that nascent in each of us exists the same indescribably beautiful light through which he saw the world and so profoundly touched those around him; and he devoted his life to showing us the way; so that we could find the same Light within us.

In each of us, if we become very quiet and listen, we can also hear the Christ call to us; showing us a path- to peace, and to Love, if we choose to follow.

Can you hear?

“Follow Me.”

Can we let go of our judgments and forgive; not just some people, but everyone, including ourselves, and especially those with whom we seek vengeance, for to find the path to peace one must find peace within, and judgments only serve to weigh us down on the journey.

We must let go of that which  burdens us, for the path is steep at times.

Today is Easter.  Christian tradition states that on this day, Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and was resurrected.

I am not a follower of any specific religion, yet most religions, and the stories of the Masters and Prophets at the core of each, offer beautiful lessons for everyone.

The stark contrast of the crucifixion and the resurrection carries many, many lessons, and so many people have written very eloquently about them.  So I am choosing a slightly different aspect of that magnificent story upon which to focus today, on which my wonderful brother helped to cast a light.

By many accounts, when Jesus was being tried, he was given every opportunity to recant his story, to recant who he claimed to be.  By many of these same accounts Jesus did not even attempt to defend himself, but was simply still, and perhaps restated the Truth as he knew it.  Jesus was quite aware of the consequences, yet never once denied who he was, even in the face of the horrific torture and death he was about to experience.

He refused to deny the Truth of Who He Was, regardless of the consequences.

When I really considered this, it really shook me to my core as I used the opportunity to look in my own mirror.

When I really, truly connect with the truth of who I am- I know I am a divine being-as we all are-  a product, a spark of the infinite love and compassion of a God we can’t imagine or capture in words.  Therefore, within me, and within all of us, is the capacity for the same infinite love, compassion, and joy; and all the powers of creation that go along with that, here for the divine purpose to create, experience, and share, ever greater levels of the Love that I am.

That, I know in my heart-of-hearts- is who I AM- that is my Self- my “big Self”- the ultimate truth of my existence which transcends all the other petty nonsense.

The petty nonsense is, of course, my “little self”- my ego and all the insecurities and fears which accompany that.

Jesus did indeed say to his disciples “deny your self”; but in this he of course meant our “little self”; the self that actually buys into the stories of fear and lack which we create in our lives; the self that mistakenly believes that more of everything in the material plane is better regardless of consequences, and the self that somehow thinks that Love is something which comes from outside ourselves and needs to be earned (again sometimes at any cost); that we aren’t automatically inherently deserving and full- yes FULL of all of that already.

But what Jesus actually demonstrated that day, knowing the horror he was about to endure, was a willingness not to deny his Self- the greater Truth of who he was.

I asked myself a simple question; how often do I deny the Truth of who I am; the truth of my greater Self, my divinity, even for far, far more petty consequences?  Sadly, too often.

I deny my Self when I couch my words of love and compassion for fear of what others will think of me.

I deny my Self when I stay small and quiet because I think I am not worthy of being heard.

I deny my Self when I ignore the beggar on the street for fear of what the others I am with might think or worse yet what the beggar might “do to me”.

I deny my Self when I see hatred, condemnation, and violence and do nothing because I don’t want to get involved.

I deny my Self when I don’t challenge others- or myself- for beliefs and statements full of judgment and cruelty because I don’t want to “upset the apple cart”.

I deny my Self when I don’t create- in any way- to my own potential, because others might not like it (like the 10 times I had to talk myself into posting this blog).

I deny my Self when I avoid the eyes of the disabled person, or aged person struggling to walk.

When I don’t express from my heart, and when I do not act from love, I am denying the very essence of Who I Am; the divine spark, the Grace of God within me.  In each of the examples above I am denying my Self based on petty fears of what others might think, how they might react, or that I might somehow loose something by exposing the Truth of who I am.  I am denying my big Self, in favor of a small, petty, fear-full little self.

Clearly, in the context of this discussion, the distinction is clear; Jesus did not deny his Truth in face of physical torture and death; yet I am willing to sell out simply on the basis of something miniscule in comparison.  Pretty sad, and for me this requires major self-compassion and forgiveness so that I don’t resent myself.

In each of us lies that beautiful spark of divinity, the soul whose only goal is to continually seek higher expressions of loving.  When we deny that, and do not act from that place, we are denying the very essence of who we are and fundamentally forgoing our primary purpose on this Earth.

Today is my Birthday.  Funny, my birthday does not mean so much to me anymore, as I know that in every day, every moment, every second, we are born again; free to choose our thoughts and to create our experience on this planet.

So in this moment I am taking a lesson from Jesus of Nazareth, who so long ago would not- could not- deny his Truth- his Purpose- regardless of consequences.

Can I do the same?  Can I honor my heart, and the Love that I am, and fully express all of it, regardless of consequences, however major or minor?

Perhaps this is one of my, and in a broader sense one of society’s, ultimate tests.

Love to all on this Easter.

Blair

The path to true peace and loving in any moment is to not only live in just that moment, but also practice complete acceptance of everything just as it is.  To live in, and completely, totally, without judgment- embrace the present.

In the past, I always associated judgment with someone or something physical, or a specific event.  I could consciously sense my judgment of someone (even myself) or something else, and, I learned to recognize and release those judgments as a path to greater acceptance, peace, and loving.  And I’m still practicing that every day.

Lately, though, I have noticed a much more subtle form of judgment creeping into my life.  Or perhaps I am simply becoming more aware of it.   It’s not a judgment about someone or something specifically, but it is an underlying, nonspecific judgment- of the present moment.  Basically, I find myself finding something “wrong” with the now, a resistance to the present moment, just as it is presenting itself.

While I have come to understand that it is only by truly living in the present moment that I may experience the bliss and peace available to us, I’m also learning (or remembering) that this alone is not enough.  We must not only be present, but we need to accept the present moment just as it is.  Radical acceptance of everything, and a total surrender to the richness, beauty, and  incredible texture of life which is now.  A full body embrace of the moment.

Any time we are in judgment of, or resistant to ANY thing, we are separated from our loving, from peace, from our truest nature.  Creating separateness- in any form- will never lead to the peace and loving we all, in our hearts, seek.

Part of us likes to make something wrong with others, with situations, or with our life.  Perhaps it feeds our ego, perhaps we have been carrying a story with us- that we are a victim, or that life is supposed to be “fair”…. it doesn’t really matter.  Making something wrong with the present moment is a direct path to suffering.

Now there is nothing wrong with wanting to improve one’s circumstances.  The distinction is where the energy comes from to create the movement to something else.  When our lives are “bad” (a judgment), the energy comes from fear, lack, and sometimes anger, and the results often reflect that- just look around at what people are doing in the name of “improving their circumstances”.  When we accept our lives just as they are, and find gratitude and grace in the moment, the forward energy comes from a very different place- where creativity, compassion, love, and inspiration really reside.

So the next time you are feeling that general feeling of angst, dissatisfaction and can’t quite find the peace within yourself- ask yourself:

Am I present just in this moment?

Am I in total acceptance of this moment- just as it is- and can I find it within my Self to embrace the incredible beauty, depth, richness and texture of all that I experience in this moment?

Then simply allow yourself to experience the bliss of this incredible privilege we call life- which only, ever, happens right now.

If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change. -Siddhartha Gautama

Imagine for a moment stepping outside your door and the walkway is lined with hundreds, even thousands of the most beautiful gifts you have ever seen- gifts which open the door to a profound peace, harmony, and gratitude, and they change your life forever.

Imagine no more.  They are out there.  Right now. You simply have to be still, and open yourself up enough to see- really see- and experience them.

I spent most of my life living in a tunnel.  The light at the back was my past, the light at the end was my destination, and I was running as fast as I could to get there.  It didn’t matter that I didn’t even know where “there” was- I just knew I had to get there. I rarely looked around me- and when I did, it was usually only briefly, projecting my judgments and fears on the world around me.

Then one day, the tunnel disappeared.  My blinders were removed in what can only be called an act of pure grace.  Instead of judging I simply looked with the eyes of a newborn-  and as I looked around me, I was overwhelmed by the beauty which surrounded me.  The vibrancy of the colors, the sounds, the sensations- were so… so…. well, just simply so full of love.

The flower and the perfection in its petals.  The wind blowing through the leaves.  The smile of the child and the beauty in each wrinkle of her grandfather’s weather worn face.  The vibrancy of the setting sun, and the promise of the sunrise.  The coolness of each raindrop.

The music of life sings to us in so many ways every day, and all we need to do is listen.

Sometimes we get so caught up in our “doing” that we loose sight of the simple gifts which lie before us.  The most amazing gifts are being offered to us- again and again, day in and day out- and we don’t even notice.

And then suddenly, in an instant our life can be transformed in the simple, yet profound realization and appreciation for the beauty and miracles that surround us.

Try, for a moment, to go outside somewhere, perhaps in nature, and stop thinking.  Stop worrying about the future, or thinking about the past.  Stop labeling and judging everyone and everything around you- including yourself.  Just be.  Become very, very present.  And simply look around you and take it all in- absorb what it is you see, feel, hear and experience.

And in that moment open your heart to the profound miracle of existence- of life- and of the beauty and depth which can exist in that single moment.  There is an underlying aliveness.  A hum.  A resonance which captures our heart and commandeers our soul to sing in harmony with all that is in that moment.

Today, see the gifts.  They are lined up in front of you, around you- just for you.  They are yours.  Accept the gifts.  Experience the gifts.  And open yourself to the rapture, and love, of life.